GdS: Similarities and differences noticeable as Allegri hopes to repeat first Milan season

This weekend’s win against Cagliari showed that AC Milan may be more similar to their previous sense than maybe had been imagined in recent times.

Throughout the year, there have been numerous comparisons between Milan and different teams. Of course, this is natural, but there have been looks at the past year, years in the past and even different teams.

The most noticeable has been the links between this season and Napoli’s last season. There are too many similarities to ignore, and this has fuelled hopes of a Scudetto. However, that is not the only season of interest.

Same but not

As Gazzetta dello Sport writes, the win on Friday was reminiscent of the first game that Allegri held for the Rossoneri. A 1-0 win against Cagliari, whose goal occurred with him falling and slipping… sounds familiar.

Last time around, there was a bit of breathing room, a luxury which the Italian can only hope for at this moment. However, it was not the only luxury. Across the pitch, there was ‘champagne and caviar’, with Ibrahimovic, Gattuso, Pirlo, Nesta and Thiago Silva.

Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Now, the case is not the same, and past their stars, the Rossoneri are not filled to the brim with huge names. Of course, this is a fate shared by the other Italian challengers, though. Whilst the level at the top may be more competitive, the level has certainly lowered as a whole.

The mercato and locker room provide differences, too, with a big budget in January unlikely, as it once may have been. However, there is no young coach at the helm. Now, Allegri is a reference point; his team looks to him, rather than getting help from the other members of the team.

In terms of Allegri himself, he has not really changed. His principles are largely the same, and with him matching the figures from this point of that season, who knows if the end achievements can be the same…